In Japan, the production and broadcasting of television (TV) programs for children began in 1953. After the first few years of trial and error, children's programs gradually rose in popularity with the introduction of TV animation, dramas, special-effects photography, music/variety and quiz shows, comedies, and action dramas. Since the inception…

One goal of a longitudinal study of stepfamilies, divorced maternal custody families, and nondivorced families was to assess similarities and differences between family members' interactions at the dyadic and triadic levels across time. Observers' ratings of videotaped spouse-to-spouse, parent-to-child, and child-to-parent behaviors during both…

This review of the status of junior high schools, prepared as a testimony for the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education, argues that, despite the fact that early adolescence is a critical time in human development, schooling for young adolescents is the weakest link in the chain of public education. Middle and junior high…

Temperament and objective and subjective measures of academic competence were interrelated in order to test two alternative models: (1) a direct effects model stressing intraorganismic, noncontextually mediated links; and (2) a developmental contextual model emphasizing social interactional processes between students and teachers. Data from the…

A two-phase survey, employing two different survey instruments, was sent in January of 1988 to 51 institutions in Illinois engaged in teacher preparation. Each instrument was aimed at gaining information concerning either the extent of, or reaction to, middle-level teacher preparation in Illinois. The first phase was aimed at examining the extent…

Both the junior high school and the middle school were established specifically to meet the unique physical and intellectual needs of preadolescents and early adolescents. The ability of these types of schools to accomplish that goal, as measured by the research, is the basic subject of this report. Each of the report's five parts begins with an…

Two articles point out the importance of students' collaboration in the computer lab. The first describes two students' use of the word processor to write a story collaboratively. The second analyzes the dialogue of two students playing a computer game, showing that such games help students become better at planning and decision making. (ARH)

Interviews conducted with 36 children demonstrate that boys and girls speak about the goals and concerns of children differently. Girls were more likely than boys to describe children who do the following: (1) seek practical help; (2) are too overcome with emotion to confide in others; and (3) want to be alone to resolve their problems.…

Children's exposure to family violence may lead to increased school difficulties, as shown in studies demonstrating the relationship between children's adjustment disorders and stressful family events. To examine the unique effects of violence on children's cognition, this study compared the academic performance and conflict levels of two groups…

This workbook is designed to help children deal with issues they might be forced to confront because of certain circumstances in their lives. These are often tough issues that deal with strong emotions. Children who are hurting emotionally often have to deal with life issues before they have attained the developmental level where they would…

Studied popularity and aspects of self-esteem between girls evidencing more traditional masculine characteristics and girls with more feminine characteristics. Findings from 166 girls aged 9 to 10 years old reveal girls reporting both traits and behaviors considered traditionally masculine were less popular, had lower self-esteem, and were less…

Assessed Canadian young adolescents' peer relationships as students moved from grade 6 in small elementary schools to middle-level schools offering grades 7 to 12. Found that girls experienced greater instability in reciprocated friendships than boys. Found that girls, more so than boys, lost old friendships and formed new friendships with…

Reports on the results of 2 studies that use a non-Kohlbergian approach to categorizing justifications for moral judgments by Australian subjects from 7 to 15 and from 7 to 21 years. These studies support the view that moral reasoning up to late adolescence is largely a product of socialization. (KO)

The construct validity of 290 preadolescent children's responses to 3 instruments claiming to measure dimensions of self-concept was studied. Instruments administered to the fifth graders include the Self-Description Questionnaire; the Perceived Competence Scale; and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scales. (SLD)

Offers parents and teachers suggestions on ways to help preadolescents develop positive self-esteem. A case study illustrates students' need for self-esteem. (BB)